DALLAS – Middle Tennessee and Liberty have been picked as co-favorites in this year’s CUSA Men’s Preseason Poll. MTSU received six first-place votes while Liberty received four. Liberty was also chosen as the favorites on the women’s side, receiving nine first-place votes. Both polls were voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Liberty returns with hopes of completing a back-to-back conference sweep. Last season, the men’s team held off MTSU by two points, winning with a score of 46. The women’s team dominated its field, scoring 28 points followed by MTSU with 94. All five of the Lady Flames’ scorers finished in the top ten, including returning runners
Allie Zealand,
Ava Gordon and the 2024 Women’s Newcomer of the Year,
Isabela Ross.
On the men’s side, the Flames will bring back defending Men’s Newcomer of the Year,
Tristian Merchant. Merchant led the Flames to victory last season, finishing third overall at the CUSA Cross Country Championship.
Middle Tennessee has been a consistent top team as well, starting last year as the preseason favorites. This season, the Blue Raiders will be returning both 2024 men’s champion
Allan Kiplagat and women’s champion
Odilia Jepchumba. Kiplagat was also last season’s Men’s Athlete of the Year following his championship win and NCAA postseason run.
Kennesaw State rounds out the top three in the preseason poll for both the men’s and women’s teams. The Owls finished third in the women’s race last year with 96 points while the men finished fifth with 110.
CUSA will also welcome two new women’s teams this season, including Delaware and Missouri State. The Blue Hens came sixth in the preseason poll with 66 points, and the Bears landed eighth with 52. Last season, Delaware and Missouri State each finished seventh at their conference championships.
The 2025 cross country season will open on Friday, Aug. 29 for seven conference members. Everyone will prepare to gather in Huntsville, Ala., on Saturday, Nov. 1 for the CUSA Cross Country Championships, hosted by Middle Tennessee.
CUSA XC Preseason Polls
Men’s XC Preseason Poll
| 1. MTSU (6) |
76 |
| 1. Liberty (4) |
76 |
| 3. Kennesaw State |
62 |
| 4. Jacksonville State |
55 |
| 5. NM State |
48 |
| 6. Sam Houston |
39 |
| 7. UTEP |
34 |
| 8. WKU |
30 |
| 9. FIU |
18 |
| 10. LA Tech |
9 |
Women’s XC Preseason Poll
| 1. Liberty (9) |
119 |
| 2. MTSU (3) |
110 |
| 3. Kennesaw State |
100 |
| 4. NM State |
87 |
| 5. FIU |
76 |
| 6. Delaware |
66 |
| 7. Jax State |
60 |
| 8. Missouri State |
52 |
| 9. UTEP |
43 |
| 10. WKU |
37 |
| 11. Sam Houston |
31 |
| 12. LA Tech |
11 |